Fielding Win Shares and Fielding Wins Above Average (derived from fielder runs above average on BP, divided by 9):
Third base FWS FWAA Longoria 4.8 1.9 ARod 4.6 0.4 Uribe 4.3 0.2 Lowell 4.3 1.1 Figgins 3.2 -1.0 Beltre 3.1 -0.8 Gordon 3.1 -2.0 Hannahan 3.1 0.7 Mora 3.0 0.3 Rolen 2.9 0.0
Two younguns, Longoria and Gordon make the list. Also, Juan Uribe jumps in there after his first full season at 3b (and probably his last). Uribe won my gold glove at shorstop last year! Otherwise, it's a collection of the frequently-injured and ARod.
Our disparity in this case is clearly Gordon (though Figgy and Beltre are there too).
But no matter. Longoria clearly wins this. Using the composite method with 2.0 as the average WS for a third baseman, Mike Lowell actually finishes second, with ARod third. Lowell is underappreciated. He finished second with a bad back and hip. I used to watch him with the Marlins. He stands on third so cooly, but his reactions are instantaneous.
Last year the Iron Glove went to a troubled Eric Chavez, surprisingly. Win Shares would probably give it to Carlos Guillen, who transitioned from the toughest position on the defensive spectrum (SS) to the easiest (1b) and then back to the middle of the spectrum at 3b. But FWAA thinks he was better than average over there.
Though it is tempting to give it to the combo of Brian Buscher and Mike Lamb for the Twins, they were outdone by Ramon Vazquez filling in for Hank Blaylock (again). Vazquez gets the Iron Glove, but in truth, he's not really that bad.
